Actuator mechanism



Sept. 16, 1969 a. B. RICHARDS ACTUATOR MECHANISM Attorneys Filed Sept. 6, 1967 p 16. 1969 G. B. RICHARDS 3,467,139

ACTUATOR MECHANISM Filed Sept. 6, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet Aflorneys United States Patent US. Cl. 137625.48 16 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An actuator mechanism includes an elongated resilient reed member flexibly confined to a generally U-shaped contour by a support wall engaging one end portion of the reed and a moveable locating member associated with the remaining reed end portion. A fulcrum section of the support wall is effective to cause the one end portion of the reed to be pivotally deflected thereabout between a pair of spaced control function positions in response to longitudinal movement of the remaining reed end portion between spaced actuating positions. Arrangements, are disclosed for effecting a crisp, toggle action in pivotally displacing the one reed end portion and for establishing, for instance, sequential and timed opening and closing of multiple control port apertures in the support wall. Other features are disclosed.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION The present application discloses subject matter which is related to that disclosed in a concurrently filed application of the same inventor, Ser. No. 665,923.

INTRODUCTION SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The actuator mechanisms of this invention are of. an entirely new class or type from those disclosed in' the prior. art. The provision of a fulcrum portion along. the bearing surfaces of a support wall that .the bowed reed convolution is confined to follow, along with proper v fixing ofl apoint on the reed member relative to the support wall, provides distinctly new types of movement patternsffor the actuator reed and improved actuator operation by Itheway ofa more positive and reliable actuating action.

The fulcrum also permits an effective degree of isolation of those portions of, the reed member on opposite sides of the fulcrum such that changes in contour or. energy condition of each reed portion may bed a substantially different character. Alternatively, the one end. portion of Q opening of the aperture with minimum forces in spite of provide the advantage of being responsive to simple the actuating force is removed.

the reed member may be made directly responsive to a i change in energy condition of the opposite reed end portion. In this regard, exemplary embodiments are disclosed in which a crisp toggle or over the center action is provided in response to either uniform or a toggle action. of the remaining reed and portion.

Also, the use of fulcrums, particularlyin the context where the reed member functions to open and close valve ports, permits desired sequential and/or timed operation in opening and closing of valve ports; In this context, the use of a fulcrum permits a valve to be opened with less 3,467,139 Patented Sept. 16, 1969 axial travel of the actuator than with comparable prior art devices. Furthermore, movement of the reed convolution over the peak of the fulcrum may be made to provide a releasing in potential energy of the reed convolution at a critical time to aid in opening the control port aperture. Also, the manner in which the control port is opened is such as to maintain the valve in a fully open condition despite a substantial pressure differential on opposite sides of the reed end portion according to a Bernoulli fluid flow effect tending to draw or bend the adjacent reed portion downwardly to close the valve port.

In other embodiments,the fulcrum is at the point of entry of the reed member into an enclosed chamber. Valve ports open into the enclosed chamber and certain of them are alternately in open communication with one another or closed depending on the position of the reed end portion therein. However, under all circumstances the valve ports are fully isolated from the external environment which prevails outside of the chamber. The chamber is sealed by a simple static seal at the point of entry of the reed therein. Thus, volatile gases or other fluids under high pressure may flow between the valve ports within the chamber without any danger of explosions or leakage of fluid from the chamber.

. All of the actuator mechanisms of this invention also longitudinal movement of the remaining end portion between a pair of spaced positions. The use of a counterbalancing reed of similar U-shaped-contour conveniently permits operation of the actuator mechanism with any preselected actuating force ranging upwardly from an extremely small minimum value which value may be arranged to be constant the entire length of travel of the remaining reed end portion. In those embodiments in which the reed is partially housed within a chamber, this actuating force may also remain constant independently of significant and abrupt changes in the potential energy condition of the reed end portion within the chamber.

Additionally, the total length of travel of the remainingreed end portion may be made relatively long or relatively short, as desired, and the rate at which the reed is peeled from the valve port may be accurately controlled by the incline of the fulcrum. Along these lines, the gradual peeling or lifting of the reed from the control port permits extremely large pressure differentials across the reed.

' Proper selection of the reed member and/or contour of the support wall also permits the longitudinal movement characteristics of the remaining end portion to vary over the length of travel from a resisting to an aiding force or vice versa in any manner and with any force magnitudes desired. Thus, a monosta-ble actuator, for example, may be'designed in whichthe remaining reed end portion al ways returns to a predetermined longitudinal point when The various objects of the invention are'to provide a. new actuator mechanism for achieving the various 'advantages heretofore and hereinafter expressly stated or implied.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION THE DRAWINGS FIGURE 1 is a perspective view, partly in section, of

one preferred embodiment of the actuator mechanism of embodiment of the actuator mechanism of this invention FIGURE 5 is a plan view of an actuator reed member useful in certain embodiments of the invention;

FIGURE 6 is a cross-sectional view of a type of actuator mechanism in which valve ports communicate with an enclosed chamber;

FIGURE 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 77 of FIGURE 6; and

FIGURE 8 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the invention similar to that of FIGURE 6.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to FIGURE 1, the actuator mechanism there illustrated comprises a wall or housing means generally designated by the reference numeral 10 and including parallel upper and lower wall portions 12 and 13, respectively, which are joined by a transverse back wall portion 15. Together the three wall portions constitute a frame for supporting the actuator apparatus to be described. As shown, the housing does not include a front wall nor end closure walls and such are not essential; however, such walls may be provided to shield the apparatus from environmental conditions, if desired or necessary. If the housing is to be a section of a fluid flow conduit or the like, it may be suitably shaped for this purpose. For instance, in this latter circumstance a front side wall parallel to the back wall 15 would be provided to complete a peripheral enclosure for the actuator apparatus.

The actuator mechanism includes an elongated resilient reed member 17 having the terminal port of one end portion 18 seated on a raised shelf 19 of the lower wall 13. The reed member is affixed to the shelf, in alignment with an integral stop abutment 21 thereof, by a screw fastener 22. The one end portion 18 of the reed member extends forwardly of the raised shelf and normally overlies a further portion of the lower wall 13. This further portion of the lower wall 13 includes a control port or valve aperture 21, partly visible through that portion of the reed member which has been broken away for purposes of illustration, and flat bearing surfaces extending in opposite directions from the aperture 21. A fulcrum bearing surface portion 23, aligned transversely to the longitudinal dimension of the reed member 17, is located a preselected distance from the aperture 21 on the side thereof opposite the fixed end of the reed.

The reed member 17 is flexibly maintained in a bowed generally U-shaped configuration by locating means which, in the present embodiment, includes a second flexible reed member 27 likewise flexibly confined to a U-shaped contour. The locating or counterbalancing reed member 27 has one end aflixed to the interior surface of the upper wall 12 by a screw 28 and its opposite end aflixed to the remaining end portion 29 of the reed member 17 by a fastener 30.

As stated, the counterbalancing reed member 27 is operative in conjunction with both the remaining end portion 29 of the actuator reed 17 and the lower wall 13 for retaining the actuator reed in its illustrated bowed contour. The locating reed 27 is further adapted to permit the remaining end portion 29 of the actuator reed to be shifted longitudinally with respect to the lower wall 13 between a first and a second position. The actuator reed is illustrated in its first position in FIGURE 1 with the one end portion 18 thereof overlying and closing the valve port aperture 21. In this position, the end portion 18 of the reed is urged into firm contact with the bearing surfaces surrounding the valve port aperture 21 in the wall 13 and, to insure that a suitable seal exists therebetween, a resilient sealing ring (not shown) may encircle the periphery of the valve aperture.

Movement of the joined ends of the reed members to the right in the drawing results in the contiguous end portions of the reeds 17 and 27 separating and rolling outwardly to deflect other portions of the reeds into engagement with the bearing surfaces of the respective walls 13 and 12. Progress of the actuator reed 17 along the inwardly inclined face of the fulcrum 23 initiates a lifting action tending to progressively peel the reed end portion 18 upwardly and away from the control port aperture 21. As the moving reed 17 progresses over the peak of the fulcrum 23, the reed reaction force exerted rightwardly of the fulcrum peak translates a clockwise torque across the fulcrum to abruptly snap the reed end portion 18 to a convexly arced contour between its spaced support points at the peak of the fulcrum and shelf 19, respectively, thereby fully opening the control port aperture 21. A more complete explanation and illustration of the operating principles of the actuator mechanism of the invention is provided in connection with the description of a modified embodiment of FIGURE 2 now to be considered.

The actuator mechanism of FIGURE 2 comprises a support housing 31 including an upper wall portion 33 and a parallel lower wall portion 34, joined to the upper wall by a transverse back wall portion 35. The lower wall portion 34 is provided with a first elliptically contoured control port aperture 36; planar bearing surfaces of the wall extend in opposite directions from the remote ends of the aperture to respectively a raised shelf portion 38 and a raised fulcrum bearing surface 40 which is similar to the fulcrum 23 of FIGURE 1. A predetermined distance beyond the fulcrum 40 and remote from the aperture 36, there is provided a second control port aperture 42 in the lower wall 34, similar in outline to that of the first control port 36. The control port 42 is likewise provided with oppositely extending planar bearing surfaces and an associated fulcrum 44 in a predetermined spacing from the aperture and on a side thereof remote from the first fulcrum 40. The second fulcrum bearing portion 44 differs from the fulcrum 40 in that the declining rearward bearing surface of the fulcrum 44 extends to the base of a surface declivity or depression 46 in the lower wall 34.

The actuator mechanism further includes an elongated resilient actuator reed member 47 flexibly retained in U- shaped contour by a companion counterbalancing reed member 49. Specifically, the actuator reed member 47 includes one end portion 50 having its terminal segment seated on the raised shelf 38 in engagement with an aligning abutment 51 and afiixed thereat by a screw 52. In the first or solid-line position of the actuator reed 47, its end portion 50 is spaced from the fulcrum 40 and is effective to seal the control port aperture 36 by virtue of a transmitted reaction force of the locating reed 49. One end of locating reed 49 is aflixed to the upper housing wall 33 by a screw 54 While the contiguous end portions of the respective reeds are joined adjacent their extreme extention by a fastener 56.

In the present embodiment, the radius of the convolution of the actuator reed 47 is substantially greater than that of the counterbalancing reed 49 indicating that the former reed is made from a stiffer material than that of the counterbalancing reed 49. Accordingly, the axis of movement of the joined ends of the reed members is displaced somewhat above the central housing axis between the Walls 33 and 34. On this subject, it should be understood that the movement pattern of the actuator reed over a raised fulcrum is dependent to some extent upon the radius of the reed convolution and, accordingly, this parameter may be adjusted in establishing a desired actuator reed operating characteristic.

The relative as well as the absolute stiffness of the actuator and counterbalancing reeds is purely a matter of selection dependent upon the conditions in the environment of use. For example, if it is desired that opening of the control port initially proceeds quite slowly, the contiguous reed end portion may be of a highly flexible material; on the other hand, a more rigid reed material provides a more nearly proportional lifting of the reed end portion from the control port as the leading edge of the reed end portion proceeds up the inclined face of the fulcrum. Also, in certain circumstances, it may be of advantage to utilize a reed Percent Cobalt 40 Chromium 20 Nickel Molybdenum 7 Beryllium 0.04 Carbon 0. 15 Iron Balance It will be understood that the counterbalancing 49 exerts a substantially equal and opposite reaction force on the actuating reed 47 and continues to do so with movement of the joined reed end along a horizontal axis. Assuming that the reeds 47 and 49 are both of uniform and homogeneous construction along their entire lengths and, ignoring for the moment the presence of fulcrums 40 and 44 on the lower wall 34, the reeds together offer almost zero resistance to axial displacement of their joined ends. Specifically, upon such movement the contiguous end portions of the reeds 47 and 49 roll outwardly to deflect other portions of the reeds into engagement with the bearing surfaces of the respective walls 34 and 33. There is no relative sliding movement between the reeds themselves or between the reeds and the respective Walls with resulting frictional loses. The radius of the convolution of the reed 47 (absent fulcrums 40 and 44) is held constant with longitudinal movement because of the precise parallel relationship of the opposed bearing surfaces of the housing walls 33 and 35. Thus, under these circumstances, there is no consumption of energy as the result of longitudinal movement of the actuator, but rather a mere translating of potential energy from one segment of each reed to another segment of the same reed with only negligible energy losses due to molecular friction internally of each reed.

Greater details of such basic counterbalanced pressure reed arrangements and preferred constructions are disclosed and claimed in George B. Richards et al. Patent No. 3,021,861. Theuse of various forms and arrangementsof non-symmetrical reed elements to likewise attain a continuous reactive counterbalancing is taught in George B. Richards Patent No. 3,230,966, issued Jan. 25, 1966. Accordingly, altho'ugh'otherforms of locating means for the actuator reed 47 are possible and perhaps suitable for use in conjunction with thepresent invention, the arrangements as above described and disclosed in the cited patents are preferred.

Inexplaining'the operation of this actuator mechanism of the'invention, it "is-initially assumedthat the reed members 47 and 49 occupy their solidline positions indicated in the drawing."Unde'r these circumstances, the one end portion50 of the actuator reed- 47 overlies the bearing surfaces 'surroun'dingthe control port aperture 36 to maintain this aperture'in a closed, sealed condition, Initial movement of the actuator reeds in the direction of the arrow'in the drawing requires a minimal actuating force for the reasons'previously described herein.However, as the moving reed member 47 begins to proceed upthe inclined face of the raised fulcrum 40, the reeds 47 and 49 are proportionately compressed and, accordingly, the'reeds tend to resist further longitudinal movement. I l I Continued axial movement of the joined reed ends initiates a progressive peeling of the end portion 50 upwardly and away from the control port aperture 36, as indicated in the first of the dotted line positions for the actuator reedsin'the'drawingJThis action of the reedpermits a minimal longitudinal actuating force to initiate opening of the valve port 36 even against substantial pressure differentials. Furthermore, the spacing of the fulcrum 40 from the valve port 36 is preferably selected such that when a maximum opening force is required, the leading edge of the reed 47 has just passed the peak of the fulcrum 40. Thus, the reeds 47 and 49 now release the potential energy acquired during their prior compression and provide an aiding force as the convolution of the reed 47 rolls down the inclined backside of the fulcrum 40 In so doing, the end portion 50 of the actuator reed 49 is abruptly deflected upwardly to lie in curved are over the control port aperture 36 and thereby fully open the port, as illustrated in the second dotted line representation of the reed members in the drawing.

The use of the described fulcrum arrangement assures that the valve port 36 is always in either a specifically defined fully open or a fully closed condition since the reed is in an unstable energy state when it lies along any part of the fulcrum bearing surface 40. The arced convex contour of the reed end portion 50 in its open position in conjunction with the relatively close points of support therefor and the resistance of the reed members to return movement assures that the control port is maintained open despite even substantial fluid pressure differentials on opposite sides of the reed end portion 50 attributable to a Bernoulli fluid flow effect. The present actuator construction offers the further advantage that the valve port 36 may be altered between its fully open and fully closed positions with a comparatively short axial travel of the actuator reed which length of travel may even be less than the length of the valve port opening 36.

It will be recalled that the actuator mechanism of FIG'. URE 2 includes a second control port 42 in the lower wall 34, and movement of the reeds to their second dottedline position in the drawing effects a full closure of this control port While the port 36 is still maintained in its full open condition. Thus, the control ports 36 and 42 are operable in sequence and phase opposition. Furthermore, the ports are opened and closed in a timed relation according to the rate of travel of the actuator reeds, a feature which is useful in certain environments.

The lower wall 34 is also provided with a second fulcrum 44 having a forward incline similar to that of the fulcrum 40 but a longer rearward incline extending to the base of a recess 46 in the Wall 34 all as earlier discussed. Thus, continued longitudinal movement of the joined reed ends results in the actuator reed 47 moving along the upwardly inclined face of the fulcrum 44 and thereby effecting a gradual peeling of the reed end portion from the aperture 42 in like fashion to that previously described in connection with the opening of the control port aperture 36. The reed 47 as it progresses over the peak of the fulcrum 44, releases a portion of its stored potential energy as it rapidly moves down the elongated rearward incline of the fulcrum 44 and comes to rest in the recessed portion 46 of the lower wall 34, as illustrated in the last of the dotted line positions for the actuator reeds. The vertical distance between the peak of the fulcrum 44 and the base of the recess 46 is made greater than that for the fulcrum 40 since a susbtantially greater length of the actuator reed must now be arced between more remote support points and a proportionately greater torque is needed to properly effect such a result. Instead of providing both the fulcrum 44 and the adjacent recess 46, the required vertical travel can be accomplished by providing a higher fulcrum, or alternatively, a deeper recess to effect the same result. In any event, with the actuator reed in this latter position, both of the valve ports 36 and 42 are in a fully open condition and the opening of the port 42 relative to the opening of the port 36 is again representative of the rate of travel of the joined reed ends. Of course, return movement of the joined reed ends to their origin-at position results in operation substantially identical, but in a reverse sense, to that already described.

A further alternative construction of the actuator mechanism of the invention is shown in FIGURE 3. In this construction, a pair of return bent flexible reed members 60 and 61 each concurrently function as actuator and counterbalance pressure elements. To this end, the actuator housing 62 includes identical lower and upper opposed wall portions 63 and 64 having respective control port apertures '65 and 66 defined therein. The ports 65 and 66 are located directly opposite one another in the illustrated construction although they may be offset to provide any desired sequential or timed operating sequence. Each of the walls 63 and 64 also includes respective fulcrum bearing sections 67 and 68 which, unlike the raised fulcrums of the prior embodiments, .are formed by respective surface declivities or depressions in the walls.

One end portion of each of the reeds 60 and 61 is aligned on and affixed to a raised shelf portion of an associated housing wall in like fashion to the earlier described constructions. The remaining end portions of the reed members '60 and 61 are return bent and are fixed to one another adjacent their extreme extent by a fastener 69. The reeds 60 and 61 are of identical, uniform construction and exert equal and opposite reactionary forces between their contiguous end portions to align the joined ends for movement along a central axis between the housing walls 63 and 64. The spaced end portions of the reeds 60 and 61 also exert substantial reactionary forces against the bearing surfaces of the respective walls which surround the control port apertures -65 and 66. Thus, with the reeds in their solid line positions indicated in the drawing, the valve ports 65 and 66 are each maintained in a fully closed condition.

In connection with the operation of this embodiment, it should be observed that the walls 63 and 64 are parallel to one another and are provided with no protuberances which would cause any further compression of the reeds 60 and 61. Thus, the reeds are perfectly counterbalanced and longitudinal movement of their joined end portions requires only a minimal actuating force. As the joined ends of the reeds are urged to the right in the drawing, the reed convolutions roll onto the outwardly inclining fulcrum portions 67 and 68 thereby providing abrupt aiding forces to snap the respective one end portions of the reeds 60 and 61 upwardly and away from their associated valve ports to their full open positions as indicated in the dotted line representations of the reed members in the drawing. The open positions of the valve ports are again stably maintatined because of the proximity of the support points on opposite sides of the valve aperture and the convexly contoured shape assumed by each of the reed end portions upon full opening of the valves. Furthermore, the reeds in their dotted line positions are at a potential energy minimum and .a substantial restoring force is necessary to move them back up the fulcrum inclines to their original positions. It will be recognized that in this embodiment the reeds provide only an aiding force in proceeding from their first to their second positions and only offer a resisting force on return movement, in contrast to the prior constructions in which both aiding and resisting forces are provided for each direction of travel.

A variation of the actuator mechanism of FIGURE 3 which allows opening and closing of dual valve ports with a constant actuating force for all positions of travel of the reeds is illustrated in FIGURE 4. This construction again includes a pair of opposed wall portions 72 and 73 having control or valve ports 74 and 75 defined respectively therein. The walls are also provided with fulcrum sections 76 and .77, respectively, which like those of FIG- URE 3 are formed by surface declivities in the walls 72 .and 73.

A pair of flexible reed members 79 and 80 each have one end fastened to an individual one of the opposed walls on a side of an associated control port aperture opposite to the associated fulcrum in like manner to prior construe tions. The opposite or remaining end portions of the reed members are return bent to lie along opposite parallel sides of an elongated actuator arm 81. The reeds 79 and are aflixed to the actuator arm 81 near their extreme ends by a singular fastener 82 which retains the three elements in an assembled relationship. The actuator arm 81 is relatively narrow over a major portion of its length but increases in thickness equally on its opposite sides along inclined transition regions 83 and 84 which regions are formed to respectively match the contour and longitudinal extent of the inclines of the fulcrum sections 76 and 77.

The inclined transition regions of the actuator arm 81 are so positioned that movement of the reed members 79 and 80 downwardly along the inclined fulcrum sections 76 and 77 occurs precisely as these reeds are being urged outwardly along the inclined transition regions 83 and 84 of the actuator arm. Thus, the radii of the respective convolutions of the reeds 79 and 80 are maintained constant with the longitudinal movement of the actuator arm 81 between its spaced operating positions such that there is no aiding or resting force during any portion of the travel of the actuator arm. It will be recognized, however, that in the open or dotted line position of the reeds in the drawing, the reed end portions are still arced in a sharply concave contour between support points in like manner to the arrangement of FIGURE 3. As previously stated, this control for the reed end portions assures that even a substantial fluid pressure differential on opposite sides of the respective reed end portions will not succeed in bending the reed end portions to effect a partial or total closure of the control ports.

A toggle or over the center action in going between the open and closed positions of the valve ports can also be negated or avoided in ways other than by the use of a contoured actuator arm as illustrated in FIGURE 4. For instance, if the reed elements are of a properly non-uniform construction such that the resistance of the center point of the open reed convolution to bending varies in direct proportion to the change in radius of the reed convolution, then there will be zero netch change in the potential energy of the reed and consequently no aiding or resisting force in connection with longitudinal movement of the actuator arm.

The foregoing principle is best understood by consideration of an example. As will be recalled, the actuator mechanism of FIGURE 3 is constructed such that only an aiding force is provided on longitudinal movement of the joined reed ends from left to right and that the magnitude of the aiding force is related to the slope and length of the fulcrum sections 67, 68. The use of the reed construction shown in FIGURE 5 the reeds '60 and 61 of FIGURE 3 eliminates the toggle or over the center action in opening the valve ports 65 and 66. Specifically, the reed member 85 of FIGURE 5 is of a homogeneous construction and of uniform thickness throughout its entire length. However, one end portion 86 of the reed is narrower than an opposite end portion 87. These two end portions of the reed are joined by a transition region 88 which tapers uniformly in width on opposite sides of the reed in going from the wide to the narrow end portions. Thus, it will be recognized that the reed 85 has a constant resistance to bending along the one end portion 86 but that this resistance increases gradually throughout the transition region 88 to second constant but increased value along the opposite reed end portion 87.

In substituting the reed 85 for the reed 60, the end portion 86 is located adjacent the wall 63 and the transition region 88 is so positioned that when the reed reaches the leading edge of the fulcrum bearing portion -67, the narrow end of the transition region 88 is precisely at the center point of the open reed convolution. Continued forward movement of the reed permits the reed to expand; however, the resistance of the reed to bending is increasing in exact proportion to the radius of the reed convolution because of the fact that the transition region 88 of the reed 85 is being advanced through the center point of the open reed convolution. Hence, the potential energy of the reed remains constant. The width of the reed at the center of the open convolution passes to the constant width portion 87 just as the reed bottoms in the base of the fulcrum section 67.

A complete explanation of the operation of such nonuniform reed elements to provide or to counteract an over the center action as well as various forms of such elements suitable for use in the present invention are taught in George B. Richards Patent No. 3,259,142, issued ]uly 5, 1966. This patent discloses, for example, the use of reeds having perforated segments or portions of varying thickness, width etc. to provide a desired nonuniform resistance to bending. The reed may also be constructed with laminations as taught in George B. Richards Patent No. 3,131,709, issued May 5, 1964.

Referring now to FIGURE 6, this embodiment of the invention differs from those previously described in that the valve ports to be controlled communicate with a sealed chamber and are isolated from the external environment. Specifically, the actuator mechanism comprises a housing 89 having parallel upper and lower wall portions 90 and 91 which are joined by a transverse end closure wall 94 and a back wall 95. Again, the particular construction of the housing is not critical to the invention and any suitable housing configuration and construction which assures proper operation of the actuator mechanism is entirely satisfactory.

The housing 89 is provided with an enclosed chamber 96 integral with the lower housing wall 91. A portion of the lower housing wall 91 has been increased in thickness to provide threadable connections for tubular conduits or the like (not shown) to respective control port apertures 99 and 100 which communicate with the inte rior of the chamber through the lower housing wall 91. The chamber 96 also includes an upper wall 97 spaced from and generally parallel to the interior surface of the housing wall 91. One end closure wall 101 for the chamber includes means defining an opening in the chamber, preferably of a knife-edge contour asshown, for receiving one end portion 102 of a resilient flexible reed member 104 therein. The terminus of the reed end portion 102 is seated in a horizontal V-shaped'recess of an opposite end closure wall 105. The back wall of the chamber '96 is not visible in the figure and the front wall has been cut away to facilitate illustration of the actuator apparatus.

In the presentv embodiment, the entire reed end portion 102 is maintained in a bowed condition by means of confining the end portion in a space materially shorter than its longitudinal extent. Specifically, the reed end portion 102 which is itself longer than the chamber 96. is fixedly confined therein by providing a pair of retaining posts 106 and 107 on opposite lateral sides of the knife-edge aperture opening, as is visible in FIGURE 7. The retaining posts project into complementary pocket recesses formed in the reed. end portion 102 and, in so doing, preclude longitudinal movement of the actuator reed with respect thereto. The front and back walls 108 and 109, respectively, of the chamber 96 are also visible in FIG- URE 7. An airtight static seal is maintained at the point of entry of the actuator reed 104 into the chamber by the imposition of some resilient means at the knife-edge opening; as an example, the seal may be maintained by molding a very thin layer of resilient material such as Buna N having a durometer hardness of about 40, over at least that portion of the reed 104passing through the knife-edge opening. Further constructional details of such sealedchamber actuator arrangements are disclosed in the earlier mentioned concurrently filed George B. Richards application.

The portion of the actuator reed 104 outside of the chamber 96 is flexibly maintained in a U-shaped contour by a counterbalancing reed 110 of similar configuration and having one end aflixed to the interior surface of the upper wall 90. The adjacent end portions of the reed members 104 and lie along opposed parallel faces of an actuator arm 111 and the reeds are afiixed near their respective terminal ends to the actuator arm by a common fastener 112. To facilitate convenient assembly and disassembly of the reeds and the actuator arm, the fasteners for this as well as the earlier described con-- structions may be in the form of tapered yieldable buttons which snap through appropriately placed apertures in the reed members, as is disclosed in applicants aforementioned concurrently filed application.

Assuming that the reed members 104 and 110 are ini tially in the solid-line positions indicated in the drawing, the actuator reed end portion 102 within the chamber 96 overlies and seals both of the control port apertures 99 and 100. To this end, the bearing surface of the lower wall 91 opening into the chamber 96 may be concavely curved to complement the curvature of the reed end portion 104. Since the two control ports can only communicate with each other when both are open, it is in fact sufiicient that the reed end portion 102 effect full closure of only one or the other of the control ports 99 and 100.

Forward motion of the actuator arm 111 towards the end wall 94 moves the reed 104 towards its final or dottedline position indicated in the drawing. This action creates a clockwise torque across the fulcrum opening in the end wall 101 which torque tends to reverse the normal bowed contour of the reed end portion 102. At a critical point of the travel, indicated by the dotted line representation of the reed members, the clockwise torque is sufficient to displace the reed end portion to an oppositely bowed or curved condition as denoted by the dotted lines in the drawing; the reed end portion 102 is totally unstable intermediate its oppositely bowed positions and, hence, movement between these positions always occurs with an abrupt snapping action.

With the reed members 104 and 110 in their dotted line positions, the control ports 99 and 100 are both open and a desired control fluid or gas flow may freely communicate therebetween. The present embodiment of the invention is especially useful as a fluid logic control relay to convert a low intensity fluidic signal to a fluid signal of sufiicient useful magnitude to perform a desired work function. The present device affords a complete bubbleproof shut-off without the necessity for any type of packing gland.

The embodiment of the actuator mechanism shown in FIGURE 8 is generally similar to that of FIGURE 6 excepting for the number and arrangement of the control port apertures communicating with the enclosed chamber. Again, a housing 113 comprises an upper wall portion 114 and a lower wall portion 115 which are interconnected by a transverse end wall 116 as well as a back wall 117; the front wall of the housing has been cut away to permit illustration of the actuator apparatus. A chamber 118 is formed integrally with the lower housing wall 115; a section of the lower wall 115 is thickened to provide internally threaded wall connections for conduits (not shown) adapted to communicate with a pair of spaced control port apertures 119 and 120 which open through the lower wall into the enclosed chamber 118. The chamber further includes a spaced upper wall 123 of sufficient thickness to permit individual conduits (not shown) to be threadably connected thereto so as to communicate with respective control port apertures 125 and 126 which open downwardly into the chamber enclosure.

The chamber 118 also includes an end wall 128 having a knife-edge opening therein, identical to that of the embodiment of FIGURE 6, for receiving one end portion 130 of an actuator reed member 132 within the chamher. The reed end portion 130 is longer than the longitudinal extent of the chamber 118 and is confined within the chamber by the retaining post and pocket recess arrangement previously discussed in connection with the embodiment of FIGURE 6; for convenience, this construction is not again illustrated. The terminus of the reed end portion 130 is seated in a horizontal V-shaped guide recess 134 in an opposite end wall 135 of the chamber 118. An airtight stake seal at the knife-edge opening is maintained as discussed in connection with the embodiment of FIGURE 6.

The portion of the actuator reed 132 outside of the chamber 118 is again retained in a U-shaped contour by a counterbalancing reed 137 of like U-shaped contour. The contiguous portions of the reed members 132 and 137 are fixed to one another adjacent their respective ends by a fastener 139; the counterbalancing reed 137 also has its opposite end fixed to the interior surface of the upper wall 114 by a fastener 140.

The operation of this embodiment in so far as the longitudinal movement of the convolutions of the reeds 132 and 137 are concerned is substantially identical to that of the embodiments previously discussed. In the initial or first positions of the reed members indicated by solid lines in the drawing, the bowed reed end portion 130 exerts a substantial positive biasing influence againslt the bearing surfaces surrounding the valve port apertures 119 and 120 to maintain these control ports fully closed. On the other hand, the control ports 125 and 126 freely communicate with each other through the sealed chamber 118.

Rightward movement of the joined ends of the reeds under the influence of an appropriate actuating force causes a clockwise torque to be translated across the fulcrum defined at the knife-edge opening in the end wall 128 of the chamber which torque tends to reverse the normal bowed contour of the reed end portion 130. At a critical point of travel, indicated by the rightward most dotted line representation of the reed, the clockwise torque is sufficient to displace the reed end portion 130 to an oppositely bowed or curved condition as denoted by the dotted lines in the drawing.

In this oppositely bowed condition, the valve ports 125 and 126 are now closed and the opposite valve ports 119 and 120 are now in open communication with one another. Thus, the valve pairs are opened and closed in phase opposition and in a timed relation to one another.

By a modification of the embodiment of FIGURE 8, the valve port 119, for example, is eliminated and the valve port 125 off-set relative to the valve port 126 such that the reed end portion 130 is only capable of closing the valve ports 120 and 126. Thus, movement of the reed end portion 130 between its oppositely bowed positions is effective to alternatively connect the valve port 125 to the ports 120 and 126. The same result may be obtained by having the control port 125 open into the chamber 118 through either the front or back sidewalls of the chamber.

In eachof the embodiments of the invention illustrated, a second reed member has been used as locating and guiding means for the actuator reed. However, it should be understood that any suitable type of guiding and locating means for the actuator reed is contemplated within the scope of the present invention.

Again, as exemplified by the several embodiments specifically described herein, the reed of the actuator mechanism may be responsive to any of a variety of applied mechanical forces. Any desired combination of aiding and resisting characteristics may also be obtained for the actuator reeds by using the teachings of the various patents cited herein. Additionally, it will be recognized that the various constructions herein disclosed are useful for purposes other than the opening and closing valve ports.

I claim:

1. An actuator mechanism comprising:

wall means having a first control port aperture defined therein and having bearing surfaces extending in opposite directions from said aperture with a fulcrum bearing surface portion being located a preselected distance from said aperture in one of said directions;

an elongated resilient reed member having one end fixed relative to said wall means a preselected distance from said aperture in the other of said directions and having a remaining end portion;

- locating means, operative in conjunction with said remaining reed end portion and said wall means, for flexibly retaining said reed member in a bowed generally U-shaped configuration, said locating means being further adapted for permitting said remaining reed end portion to be moved longitudinally with respect to said wall means between a first position in which a segment of said reed member adjacent said fixed end bears on said wall means to close said control port aperture and a second position in which at least a segment of said reed member adjacent said fixed end is deflected upwardly to open said control port aperture by movement of said reed member over said fulcrum bearing portion of said wall means.

2. The combination according to claim 1 in which: said actuator mechanism is constructed and arranged such that the potential energy stored in said bowed reed member at a position intermediate said first and second positions of said remaining reed end portion is greater than that at either of said first and second positions for effecting a bistable operation of said actuator mechanism. 3. The combination according to claim 1 in which: said actuator mechanism is so constructed and arranged that the energy stored in said first reed member remains constant on movement of said remaining reed end portion between said first and second positions. 4. The actuator mechanism according to claim 1 in which:

said wall means is provided with a second control port aperture positioned along said one direction a predetermined distance beyond said fulcrum portion so that movement of said remaining end portion of said reed member between said first and second positions is effective to successively open said first control port aperture and close said second control port aperture. 5. The actuator mechanism according to claim 4 in which:

said wall means includes a second fulcrum bearing portion being located along said one direction a predetermined point beyond said second control port aperture for successively opening said first aperture, closing said second aperture and concurrently opening both said first and second control port apertures upon movement of said remaining reed end portion between said first and second positions. 6. The actuator mechanism according to claim 1 in which:

said locating means comprises a second resilient reed member flexibly retained in a generally U-shaped configuration and having opposite end portions a-ffixed respectively to said wall means and said remaining reed end portion of said first mentioned reed member for exerting a substantially equal and transverse reaction force on said first mentioned reed member in movement between said first and second longitudinal positions. 7. The actuator mechanism according to claim 1 in which:

said bearing surfaces of said wall means on opposite sides of said first control port aperture lie in a comrnon plane and in which said first mentioned fulcrum bearing surface portion is formed by a surface declivity in said wall means. 8. The combination according to claim 7 in which: said locating means includes an actuator arm having a surface contour complementing that of said fulcrum surface declivity for maintaining the radius of the convolution of said reed member substantially constant at all points between said first and second positions of said remaining reed end portion. 9. The actuator mechanism according to claim 1 in which:

said wall means further defines an enclosed chamber surrounding said first control port aperture and said first mentioned fulcrum bearing surface portion cooperates with the remaining portions of said wall means to define an opening in said chamber for receiving said one end portion of said resilient reed member therein. 10. The actuator mechanism according to claim 9 and further including:

retaining means for fixing said reed member relative to said Wall means at approximately the point of said opening in said chamber. 11. The actuator mechanism according to claim 10 in which:

said one reed end portion within said chamber substantially exceeds the longitudinal extent of said chamber; and further including guide means defining a V-shaped recess in an end wall of said chamber, opposite said opening in said chamber, for seating and pivotally guiding the extremum of said one reed end portion; said guide means and said retaining means cooperating to confine said one reed end portion within said chamber in a bowed contour. 12. The actuator mechanism according to claim 11 in which:

said control port aperture is positioned along said wall means so as to normally be closed by the apex of said bowed reed end portion. 13. The actuator mechanism according to claim 12 in which:

said bowed reed end portion is deflected with a toggle action to an oppositely bowed position upon movement of said remaining reed end portion between said first and second positions. 14. The actuator mechanism according to claim 13 in which:

said chamber includes a plurality of control ports communicating therewith and in which at least a pair of said control ports are alternatively in open communication with one another and closed when said remaining reed end portion is in respectively said first and said second position.

15. An actuator mechanism comprising:

wall means having a fulcrum bearing surface portion;

an elongated resilient reed member having at least one point along one end portion thereof fixed relative to said wall means and having a remaining end portion;

locating means, operative in conjunction with said remaining reed end portion and said wall means, for flexibly retaining said reed member in a bowed, generally U-shaped configuration, said locating means being further adapted for permitting said remaining reed portion to be moved longitudinally with respect to said wall means between a first and a second position for transmitting a reaction force to said one reed end portion across said fulcrum bearing portion to pivotally deflect at least a segment of said one reed end portion between a pair of spaced actuating positions.

16. The actuator mechanism according to claim 15 in which:

said locating means comprises a second resilient reed member flexibly retained in a generally U-shaped configuration and having opposite end portions affixed respectively to said wall means and said remaining reed end portion of said first mentioned reed member for exerting a substantially equal and transverse reaction force on said first mentioned reed member in movement between said first and second longitudinal positions.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,252,481 5/1966 Meier 137-6254 M. CARY NELSON, Primary Examiner M. O. STURM, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

